The New York Jets officially decided to move on from defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
While that might not mean everything for the Philadelphia Eagles, there’s certainly an avenue where it could have an impact.
The Eagles have one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL in Vic Fangio, and he’ll likely be with the organization for as long as he wants to continue coaching.
However, because Fangio is such a great defensive coordinator, there are people inside the Eagles’ building who aren’t getting enough attention and likely won’t land a defensive coordinator job in Philadelphia for at least the next few years.
Taking the Jets’ defensive coordinator job would be a step up for many in the building, including passing game coordinator Christian Parker. When examining what this could mean for Parker and the Jets, Justin Fried of FanSided believes he’s one of seven coaches who could potentially replace Wilks after the firing.
“Christian Parker would represent a very different direction for the Jets, but one that genuinely does make a lot of sense. At just 33 years old, the New Jersey native has rapidly climbed the coaching ladder, working in Green Bay and Denver before spending the last two seasons in Philadelphia, where he was promoted to passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
“Parker also crossed paths with Jets general manager Darren Mougey during his time in Denver, adding another familiar connection. The Eagles run the second-highest rate of man coverage in the NFL, making Parker a strong schematic fit for how the Jets have built their defense,” he wrote.
It’s always tough to see coaches leave, especially on a defense that’s arguably the best in the NFL, like the Eagles.
However, the unfortunate reality is that if someone like Parker were to get this job offer, he’d likely take it due to the significant pay increase and other factors.
While I don’t know his personal goals, it certainly seems like he wants to be a defensive coordinator in this league.
We’ll see how everything unfolds, but there’s reason to believe he could be in the mix.